Let's Go: 'Racist Granny' Sign Proving Very Costly for VA Dems As Winsome Sears Gets Another Huge Boost

By Sister Toldjah | 11:36 AM on August 29, 2025

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It's not just the weather that heats up in the summertime; political races often do as well, which is exactly what we've seen play out over the last month or so in the Virginia gubernatorial race between Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and her Democrat opponent, former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger.

As RedState has reported, the polls have tightened between the two in recent weeks, with Earle-Sears surging thanks to a lot of hard work and perseverance from the candidate and her campaign, and also to a racist sign that was displayed as Earle-Sears was set to speak at an Arlington County School Board meeting earlier this month in support of protecting women's safe spaces.

The sign, carried by yet another woke liberal white woman and apparent Spanberger campaign volunteer, read "Hey Winsome, if trans can't share your bathroom, then blacks can't share my water fountain." While Spanberger begrudgingly issued a boilerplate condemnation in the aftermath, some Virginia Democrat Party officials actually tried to blame Earle-Sears for the sign.

And now, as we head into the Labor Day holiday weekend, Earle-Sears' campaign has received another big boost:

Betting on red: Robert Johnson, the co-founder of Black Entertainment Television, has donated $500,000 to GOP Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears’ campaign for governor after she was targeted by a racist sign at a recent campaign rally, according to her campaign.
Johnson, in a statement provided to POLITICO, said he was “so appalled by that racist diatribe … that I choose to show the voters of Virginia how Black Brothers stand up to defend and support their Black Sisters.” Johnson, who also founded RLJ Companies, was part of Democratic former Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s fundraising network and backed Hillary Clinton for president in 2016 before shifting away from the party.

🚨New: Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears’ campaign announced a long-time Democrat donor and Co-Founder of BET donated $500k to Earle-Sears’ gubernatorial campaign after a racist sign was directed at her at an Arlington school board rally. https://t.co/kVR6WagSD7 pic.twitter.com/sDnPFI79Bu
— Nick Minock (@NickMinock) August 29, 2025

Arlington County GOP Chair Matthew Hurtt told RedState in the aftermath of the news that "Grassroots Republicans in Arlington and across Virginia are grateful to Anita [campaign volunteer for Spanberger] and the Arlington Democrats for showing their true colors when protesting Winsome Earle-Sears last week."

"Their intolerance nationalized this race, giving Winsome an opportunity to earn the support of Robert Johnson, a pillar of black entrepreneurship. Robert, thank you for your commitment to 'stand up to defend and support' your 'Black sister' Winsome Earle-Sears," Hurtt went on to say.